The Driving Force to Love (MXM) ✔

Chapter 29

Antonio Angel Hernandez Sanchez

Several people greeted Felipe as he and Maria walked through the door hand in hand. Her bright red hair contrasted with everyone else's. "Where's abuela?" Felipe asked me after he returned greetings.

"In the kitchen," I said. "Help yourselves to drinks. There are plenty to choose from."

There was a variety of alcoholic drinks as well as different types of sodas and juices. There was also a wide variety of food to snack on. Music was going. My brother was dancing with his wife. My suegro and suegra were dancing with each other. My dad was dancing with my niece, Olivia. Cousins sat on the couch talking. Others joined in the dancing. The children chased each other around or joined the adults in dancing.

It was a full house - literally - for my mama's birthday. Liz's family was close to mine so everyone was here at our house. Since I knew people would be getting drunk, having fun and partying, I expected most of the people here now to sleep over. That meant Liz and I would be sharing a room again. That was fine. It wasn't going to be the last time. We were used to it.

Felipe came out of the kitchen with a drink in his hand and stood next to me. There were a few moments of silence as we watched the dancers. "Where is Maria?" I asked.

"Talking to abuela," he said.

"You left her alone?" I asked.

He blinked at me. "Is that bad? She said it was okay, but is this one of those times she says something but means something else? I can't tell what women mean most of the time. Why do they have to be so confusing?"

"I don't know," I said. "If she said it was okay, maybe it is. I can't read women half the time either. I'm glad you two are back together. Why did you break up in the first place?"

"Because I'm a stupid idiot and I tried to mimic my dad's bravado. That backfired big time."

I cringed. "You know your dad doesn't talk to your mom like that in person, right?" I asked. "He may tell others when she's not around that he's the boss and has all the control in the relationship but when he is with her that isn't how he acts. Your mom would kick him out if he spoke to her like that."

"I know," he said. "But being around him all the time, working with him, sometimes I forget that he is just talk." He shook his head. "I was such an idiot. Not only did I not mean it, but I'm so much happier when she and I are both just being ourselves. I have no idea why I ever thought it might be a good idea to change that."

Maria walked out of the kitchen with my mom. They were both smiling and talking easily with each other so the conversation couldn't have been bad. Felipe moved to join them. I took that opportunity to go into the kitchen and refill my glass with something alcoholic. Liz was talking with her brother and his wife.

I stood beside Liz and wrapped my arm around her shoulders. She slid an arm around my waist.

"We were just talking about you," my cunado, Emilio, said.

"Good things I hope," I said.

"Of course," Liz said.

"I was saying that I am glad she found a husband like you," Emilio said. "Growing up I always worried that she would pick a jerk. She didn't have the best taste in men, but then in the end she chose you and you've treated her well."

She didn't have good taste in men because she preferred women, but of course neither Liz nor I said that out loud. But I knew she was thinking it.